The Sorting Hat
by VivacePhoenix27
Summary: One shots detailing the sorting of a Harry Potter character. Did the Sorting Hat ever expect this as it's job? 1. James Sirius Potter


James Sirius Potter

1 September 2015

If anyone happened to ask him how he felt, he'd tell them firmly that he was just being jittery, not nervous, not anxious, and certainly not twitchy.

James Potter stood patiently amongst the fifty or so first years huddled together in the side chamber leading off the Great Hall.

Everyone was nervous.

It wasn't visibly coherent in all of them, however. Half of his year mates were standing to the side and hugging themselves in silent reassurance as an attempts of staying calm. Others were being more open about it, talking to the kid next to them as relief. And some, like James, were jumping up and down in nervous anticipation as he chatted to his friends beside him.

He usually—no, he always—had patience. As the first-born child of Harry Potter—the Boy Who Lived, who defeated Lord Voldemort at the age of seventeen, saving the entire Wizarding World—and Ginny Potter—former Quidditch player for the Hollyhead Harpies, and a rebellion at Hogwarts during Lord Voldemort's resime–one had to possess a great amount of tolerance to certain situations and have the ability to perfect very cool, and very calm facades in the brink of chaos and increduality that was garanteed to follow you whereever you ventured as a consequence. And lucky for James, he had perfected such nonchalance from a young age and was hardly susceptible to his family's crazy antics, and Rita Skeeter's scandalise, hyberbolic articles—from which Ginny and James had a running joke about. On the contrary, the frenzied papparattsi and their queries gave him something to laugh about and he took enjoyment out of answering their questions—"Oh, James! James! James! How are you looking forward to Hogwarts? Reckon you'll be a big, brave lion like your father or a friendly, loyal badger like your godbrother? Or maybe even a witty eagle? What do you think, James?"

After tilting his head to the side in contemplation, James had responded with a bright grin that he was most certainly looking forward to Hogwarts as he would be free to blowing up culdrons and slinking through hidden corridors and the like. And that he reckoned that he would probably be a sly, slippery snake and they had to be sure to remember that his mum was a big, brave lion, too. They'd sputtered a hasty apology at which they approached the next question awkwardly. "Uh, James. Who do you think is the better parent?" at which he puffed out his chest and announced proudly that he was a mum's boy—not a mummy's boy, but a mum's boy. Oh, and that he loved both parents equally and there was nothing wrong with their parenting thank you very much.

His siblings had helped develop his patience from the day Albus was born. It had taken a while for the newborn to get settled in to the house. It had taken over a week of sleepless nights and crying and feverish conditions until he was settled. As Harry and Ginny had not much time for James. He often spent the day sitting in the corner with his toys, waiting for his parents to finally put Albus to sleep before he could come out. Now however, he concluded that being the eldest Potter should always contain his wits around two squabbling siblings; particularly at the breakfast table when Albus and Lily would fight over who would have the pancakes with the blueberries on it.

So patience was something James Potter could usually—definitely—handle well, and standing in the Hogwarts castle, waiting for the impending significant event to occur in his school career, for once in a long time, he felt his patience begin to dwindle under the anticipation. Indeed, his leg was jumping irratically.

"If you twitch any more, you'll drill a mark in the ground," his mate, Aiden, hissed from his side with a small grin. His attention momentarily drawn from thoughts of the sorting ceremony, James glanced down at his shaking leg and stopped his jumpy movements hurriedly, shooting Aiden a sidelong glance.

"I'm not twitching. Who said I was twitching? I don't twitch. Pfft, this, my friend, is twitching." He spasmed his arms and legs back and forth in way of explanation and jerked his head into a number of weird angles before straightening up with a self-satisfied huff.

Aiden snorted. James gave his own dry snort in return.

"Nora," Aiden swiveled around to the dark haired girl to his left. She had joined them in their compartment on the train and James could confidently say that they were already fast friends.

"Back me up on this. James, he is twitching."

Nora swept her long hair over a shoulder airily and fixed the eldest Potter with scrutiny. "Show me?"

James folded his arms stubbornly over his chest and planted his feet solidly on the ground. "See, no twitching."

Nora copied his stance and stared intently into his eyes. James gazed back obstinately. Brown into brown, until James's eyelid twitched.

"Aha!" Nora grinned triumphantly, causing a couple students behind her to jump from her outburst. "You twitched!"

She happily bumped fists with Aiden as James mock scowled at them.

"Remind me to never share my chocolate frogs with you again," he grumbled halfheartedly as he hid a smile behind his hand.

"Why would I bother reminding you? It'll be better—even if you forgot—that it'd work better in my favour because if you weren't reminded, then I'd still get those chocolate frogs."

James scratched his head. "Yeah."

Nora patted his unruly black hair condescendingly. "Don't worry, James. I don't expect you to understand my logic."

Aiden coughed out a snigger. Nora patted his arm and tutted. "You can't be sick already, Mr Schmidt. It's not even October yet. You don't want to be in the infermary before your first year even begins!" Unfortunately, this caused Aiden to choke, which lead into a fit of indignant splutters.

"It's Smith, not Schmidt," he said finally.

"Smith, Schmidt, Johnson, Wilson, Singh, Zhong, Nguyen. Whatever, it's all the same." Nora waved a hand dismissively. "What's the difference?"

"I'm pretty sure Smith and Nguyen are plenty different to me," Aiden responded drily.

"Yeah, I'm siding with Aiden with this one," James said.

Nora was about to tell them exactly how she thought Smith and Nguyen were similar when Nev—Professor Longbottom, James mentally corrected himself—returned.

"First years, it's time for your sorting ceremony. Please form a line and proceed after me."

James complied obediently with his year mates and stepped in line behind Aiden as Nora slipped behind him. His stomach fluttered with jittery anticipation as he was lead through to the Great Hall.

The Great Hall was a marvelous sight. James couldn't help but stare in awe. The hall was massive; five long tables stood before him: four filled with students from each house that he knew as Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. The final table– a little smaller—was situated at the high end of the hall and was filled with teachers and staff. Every table was laidened with golden crockery and cutlery which glittered in the dim light from the hundreds—maybe even thousands—of candles hovering high overhead. Beyond the candles was a vast black ceiling. He squinted harder, making out small pinpricks dotted all over the ceiling. It dawned on him that the ceiling could actually be the sky.

"Is that the sky?"

"No," Aiden wispered. "It's a reflection. We're not going to get rained on, don't worry."

"I wasn't–" James began but Nora silenced him with a hard jab in the back. "Shush!" she hissed.

Professor Longbottom lead them to the front of the hall before the four house tables. They stopped and James fiddled with his sleeves as a three legged stoll was set before them and a old, frayed hat was placed on top. The students fell silent immediately and all eyes were on the hat.

A few silent moments before a brim opened wide and began to sing.

As the hat dropped back into its normal state, Professor Longbottom stepped forward, unrolled a piece of parchment and cleared his throat.

"Avery, Cyprus."

A boy with long well combed dark hair stepped away from the end of the line and strode confidently up to the stool and was almost immediately announced a Slytherin.

The next student, Sarah Bones was placed into Hufflepuff and the girl following her, Clementine Clearwater, was proclaimed a Ravenclaw.

James figured that he had a way to go yet, seeing as he would be a P. His attention began to drift as more first years were called forward and the line became thinner.

He stared up at the ceiling, wondering if he could one day replicate something similar for his bedroom at home. Maybe he could charm some flying Snitch to flutter around with some broomsticks. Childish, he didn't think so. His gaze gravitated back down as he thought about the candles and some of his Uncle George's fireworks. Although the hall was plenty marvelous as it was, maybe some more colour would get things sparkling.

"What?"

James started. "Huh?" He realised he was staring at the back of Aiden's blonde hair. "Who're we up to?"

"Someone called Greenwood."

James shrugged and gazed out over the house tables. He spotted Teddy Lupin seated near the head of the Hufflepuff table, hair all yellow and purple pocker-dotted, Headboy badge pinned proudly to his chest. Beside him—as to be expected—was his cousin Victwoire Weasley, prefect. They caught his eye and grinned. "Good luck," they mouthed. James nodded back, smiling weakly. He continued looking around. On the far table, he could see Fred and Dominique and Molly Weasley amongst their own group of friends. Fred was now a second year as Dominique and Molly were in their third.

Growing jumpy again, James began shuffling his feet. They were up to I now. Trey Ivory was seated atop the stool now. As the hat shouted Ravenclaw. The boy didn't particularly look happy about his placement and this was shown as he trudged, head bowed low to the blue and brown clad table who applauded politely.

"He doesn't look particularly happy," James mused.

"You don't say," both Nora and Aiden murmured in unison.

James had known Aiden since he was eight; he was confident enough in his observational and interpersonal abilities that Aiden had traits typical of either the Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw house. Aiden had told him numerous times that he honestly didn't care. Any house would suit him well, although he did say once that Slytherin was probably the less appealing, only because it had that dark stereotype. If he were to chose it because colour preference, he would definitely go Slytherin as green was his favourite colour. Nora he had only met nine hours ago. From what he could tell she was nice, confident and sweet, with a hint of driness to her humour. Gryffindor, maybe?

Cecilia Owen. O. His foot begun tapping quicker, P was next. P would be him. Slowly, the butterflies in his stomach brought their wings down. He was going to do this! He was going to get into Gryffindor and make his parents proud, he knew it.

"Potter, James."

With an excited yip, he bounded forward and perched eagerly on the edge of the stool. The sorting hat was placed ontop of his head and as it fell over his eyes, he finally noticed the frantic whispering and pointing coming from the student body. It was to be expected, he was James Sirius Potter after all.

He waited a moment as silence fell around him.

"Hmmmm, Mr Potter?"

James jumped. "Huh? Uh, yes, uh, sir?"

"You're being particularly jumpy today."

James blinked at this unexpected conversation. "Um...no, I'm not being jumpy. Not at all—sir."

"It's dude."

"Pardon?"

"The dictionary says that "sir" is a polite address to a man. If you haven't noticed, Mr Potter, I'm not a man. I'm a hat."

"Noted."

"Would you like me to sort you now, Mr Potter?"

"Please."

"Gryffindor!"

James leapt up with exhilarated speed and trotted to the furthest table on the left who were cheering ecstatically; some were even standing up on their chairs, screaming Potter at the top of their lungs.

"Congrats, cousin." Fred slapped him on the back as he took a vacant seat beside him.

"Thanks," James said, grinning widely. It took a few a few bangs of Professor Longbottom's wand to get the hall together again, particularly with the Gryffindor table. James was happy to see that Neville was smiling, too.

Aiden was next. As he strode forward, he caught James eye and gave him a thumbs-up. James responded in kind.

It took him about two and a half minutes, but Aiden was finally announced a Gryffindor.

James stood on his seat and cheered so loud that his throat stung afterwards. Emboldened by James's enthusiasm, the rest of the house joined him in applause.

"Yeah man!" James hooped as Aiden threw himself into the seat beside him.

"Thomas, Nora."

Although she didn't bound so enthusiasticly as James had done, or hold herself as calmly as Aiden had, Nora had a slight spring to her step and a nervous smile on her face as she walked forward. Before the hat was placed on her head, James gave her a smile of encouragement.

It didn't take long.

"Gryffindor."

Nora jumped up with relief and hurtled towards them, slapping James and Aiden on the back in turn.

"Yes!" She squeezed herself between James and Aiden and grinned, her eyes shining.

"We're together!" James threw an arm around Nora, Nora threw her arms round James and Aiden, and Aiden put his arm round Nora.

"Weird group hug." Aiden smirked.

They laughed.

The remainder of the sorting ceremony seemed to fly by and before James knew it, the final three first years were left. Louis Weasley was announced a Ravenclaw, Elise Wilson, a Slytherin, and Chase Wood, a Gryffindor.

As the crowd settled down, Professor McGonagall stood up from her golden throne-like chair at the centre of the head table.

"I would like to wish a warm welcome to our new students and welcome back old ones. Seventh years, I'd like to wish you good luck with your final year at Hogwarts and your N.E.W.T.s. Before we eat, I'd like to make some housekeeping announcements. As to all our new students, it would be good for you to keep in mind that the Forbidden Forest is just that, Forbidden."

James sniggered. Forbidden my arse, he thought.

"There are certain products that are band in this school. A list of these items are pinned on Caretaker Filch's office door and can be viewed as such. All students should remember that dueling in the corridors is band for any reason. Now that everything needed is said, we can tuck in."

She sat down and suddenly, the hall erupted into noise and the plates and platters before him were filled with food.

James had already scooped a spoonful of chicken into his mouth when the boy opposite him held out his hand. He recognised it as Chase Wood and grasped his hand.

"Hey, I'm Ben, Ben Wood."

James pumped it up and down. "James Potter. Hey, I thought your name was Chase?"

"Nah, Ben. I prefer Ben."

James raised an eyebrow. "Right."

"Yup." Ben—apparently—picked some meat off a marinated chicken drumstick and shrugged. "I'm not chasing wood."

Aiden snorted. "So you'd rather be 'bending wood'?"

Nora choked on her pasta and James thumped her back. "Please don't die."

Ben stared at Aiden, confused. "What?"

"Never mind." Aiden chuckled to himself.

"Yeah, it's nothing," Nora giggled into her food.

Ben flicked his eyes towards James questioningly. James shrugged, as clueless as he was. "Sorry mate, I don't get it either."

"You're all good," Nora assured James and Ben with a sweet smile.

Although James Potter began his first-year of Hogwarts an innocent, hyper kid, he graduated, a bold, headstrong, kind and compasionate man—with just a little anxiety issues—with 7 owls and with Aiden and Nora by his side.

And he did eventually figure out how to charm W.W.W. fireworks into the candles drifting in the Great Hall. Although it did cost him fifty housepoints, it was worth it seeing Professor McGonagall smile at herself as a fire work lit up in her hair.

A/N: thanks for reading. Just to let you know, this will be a series of one-shots about the sorting of a Harry Potter character. I decided that I should start with something small. Apologies if this is not to your standards but tough lol. It's something I did in one night and I thought that I should upload it before I forget about it or back out. Anyway, thanks for reading.


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